Red-hot tourist attraction

The spectacular Danxia landform in Taining, Fujian province, is a piece of art created by Mother Nature over a long time. Visitors can take in the natural beauty by cruising along the river on a bamboo raft or climbing the mountain to admire the ancient Ganlu Temple nestled inside a cave. Photos Provided to China Daily

Wondrous caves

One of the best-known caves is in the Zhuangyuan Cliff nearly 12 km from the Taining county seat.

The arc-shaped and winding cave about 100 meters long is believed to be where Zou Yinglong (1173-1245), a poor student from the Taining county seat in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), studied for five years in order not to be disturbed before taking the imperial exam.

He took the exam and became a scholar with the highest score, or zhuangyuan, at the age of 23.

"Each year, quite a few students who are going to sit for the national college entrance exam visit the Zhuangyuan Cliff to be inspired by the ancient scholar, despite the two-hour arduous trek up there," says Jiang Qiurong, a county official.

The journey along primitive forests is especially hard in summer, for the sunlight becomes so strong at 8 am and the mercury hits about 40 C at noon.

During our trip to the cliff, we are impressed by Xiao Leran, a boy from Sichuan province, who could not bear the scorching heat and has taken off his T-shirt and trousers, standing dressed only in his briefs.

Bemused by the 11-year-old, many tourists jokingly say: "You are the most sincere student in seeking the inspiration of the zhuangyuan as you are naked in front of him."

With incessant sweat, many of the tourists who do not believe in the inspiration from a bygone scholar, however, deem the trip conducive to their health as sweat can discharge toxins from their bodies.

The Ganlu Temple is another must-see destination pertaining to both zhuangyuan and Danxia formations in Taining.

Built in 1146, the temple is named Ganlu, or sweet dew, because it has a stalactite above it that drips spring water believed to be as sweet as dew.

The temple is small and worships Buddha who helps childless people have babies.

There's a story of a woman in the Northern Song Dynasty who could not become pregnant long after she got married. She prayed in the temple, vowing that she would rebuild a new, large temple if she had a son.

One year later, she had a son named Ye Zuqia who became a zhuangyuan 24 years later. To keep his mother's promise, Ye rebuilt the temple.

The unusual temple built into a Danxia cave 80 meters above ground has only one pillar to support it.

Endorsing Confucianism, students in Taining worked hard and more than 50 of them became jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial exams) throughout history. As a jinshi, a scholar tended to become an official in ancient China.